


When we travel in our dreams

by MaryAjana



Category: Life of the Party D&D (Web Series)
Genre: Dream Travel, Fluff and Angst, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23493793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryAjana/pseuds/MaryAjana
Summary: Vanden and Cassian find out that they have a connection they have never heard of before. The gods have gifted them with the entrance to the dreamland. Even when they are separated they can be together in their own special ways.
Relationships: Cassian/Renard (Life of the Party)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I had a dream last night that ran a bit wild with this idea of being able to visit each other in your dreams. Intended as pure fluff it soon turned into a very angsty plot. Once I got this angsty story out of my head (see chapter 2 if you dare) I was able to write the fluff I intended.

It has been years since the adventures the party had together and Cassian and Vanden have settled down together. Each of them going back to their original jobs. Cassian will occasionally travel to clients and Vanden regularly gets called away for duty. They have never been separated before since they got together and it is hard at first. As long as it is only for a day or two they are fine with it but every time one of them is gone for longer it becomes more and more difficult with each passing day they are separated. This changes about a year in their marriage. When Vanden is called away for about a week they discover a few nights in that they can visit each other in their dreams. While their bodies rest, their souls can wander to a different land called dreamland. Here is where they will meet and discuss their days or just enjoy some time away from everything. There is no sadness in the dreamland and they can change the scenery into anything they need. Sometimes they sit by the fire in their home, sometimes they are in a forest and sometimes they sit by the sea. It also happens from time to time that Vanden will change the scenery to whatever place he has been to last. This only happens when he thinks the place really beautiful and wants to share it with his husband though. Cassian cherishes every single one of these times together, the memory of these little moments carrying him through the day at work.

This is why Cassian is not worried when Vanden has to leave once more. He knows Vanden will always return to him and they are not really separated from each other. That night he goes to bed with a smile on his face. It was always difficult to be separated but it was never for long after all. He lets his body rest from the day’s work and enters dreamland to hear about Vanden’s day. It takes a while until Vanden joins him. He seems annoyed at first but when he sees Cassian a smile spreads on his face. “Have you been waiting long?” He asks as he comes closer. Cassian shakes his head with an equal smile on his face. “Just a few minutes. How was your day?” Vanden just shakes his head. “Just lovely. I feel surrounded by idiots again. I truly don’t know why I had to go there, to begin with. I’m sure everything will be settled soon and I will be back home in just a few days.” Cassian smiles at that. “That sounds promising already.” He steps behind Vanden, gesturing for him to sit down. When his husband follows his wordless instructions he starts massaging his shoulders gently. “My day was pretty boring. Got a new client but that commission won’t take up more than a day.” He provides and starts talking about some of the plans he has for when Vanden returns home. They spend all night like this, just relaxing together after a long day apart.

Vanden’s assessment of the situation at hand turns out wrong in the end. He is forced to stay away from home longer than anticipated and Cassian can feel how his husband grows more and more frustrated with every day. One night, Cassian has had enough. He huffs when Vanden is once again tense next to him. “You will tire yourself out like this. You need to relax a bit. We might be bodily separated at the moment but we still spend time together every night.” Vanden shakes his head. “They are just so frustrating and don’t see reason anymore. All I want is to be home and actually hold you in my arms not just here in our dreams.” Cassian smiles sadly at this. “So do I. But we have to make the best of the situation. We have made it through so much, we can deal with being separated for a while. Besides I try to see it as regular workdays. We’re both out for work all day and come home at night to relax and spend time together. Just because we do it in our dreams together doesn’t mean it’s not real.” He reasons in a gentle tone he reserves exclusively for his husband. Said husband just sighs at that and nods. “You’re right. As always. I will try to see it like that more. And maybe by the beginning of next week, I’ll be back home.” And this time his assessment was right and he was able to return home within the week.

The next time they are separated for a longer period is when Cassian is ordered away to an important client of his. It takes Cassian two days to get to the town he has been summoned to and he does not dare slip into dreamland while traveling alone. The night he finally arrives in town, he goes to bed early to reassure Vanden that he’s fine and made it safely to his client. During the day he busies himself with his work, trying to get as much done as possible. The sooner he is done after all the sooner he can go home. Their nights are short but spent blissfully together. Cassian knows now how Vanden felt when he was gone for almost two weeks. As soon as he is done with one job his client gives him another and another. After almost a week of this back and forth he is ready to quit. Especially when that night Vanden doesn’t show up at all in their shared dreams. Nor does he join Cassian the next night. This makes Cassian very uneasy because it is so unlike Vanden to simply disappear and miss their nights. It is difficult for him to focus on his work during the day and in the evening he packs up his things and leaves the tavern he stays in to tell his client that unfortunately, he has to leave to check on his husband at home. On his way to his client’s house, he sees a familiar figure approaching and he stops dead in his steps. A grin starts to spread on his face. “You sneaky bastard. What are you doing here, Vanden?” His husband just laughs and kisses him when he reaches him. “I couldn’t wait at home any longer so I decided to simply join him. I have nothing to do at the moment and I thought it was time for you and me to visit old friends.” He suggests with a cheeky grin. Cassian laughs at this explanation. “You are right. We should travel again, just for old time’s sake.” After informing the client, politely but firmly that Cassian will not take any more commissions right now but travel on, they spend a night together in the tavern before leaving for Boblem’s farm the next morning. They are most likely to find everyone else there anyway. Everyone seems to be drawn to Boblem’s farm from time to time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a way darker turn than I intended but I still like how it turned out. Read at your own risk though, it can be deemed a bit graphic in places though I tried to avoid it.

“Vanden!” Cassian jolts up, covered in sweat and shaking slightly. That dream again…Why do the gods torment him so much? Vanden’s last moments replay in his head all day already, why did he also have to dream about them so vividly? He releases a shaky breath and gets up to get himself some water. It has been almost a week now since that dreaded fight and he still cannot fully comprehend what exactly went wrong. They had the upper hand for most of it and that blasted troll looked close to death already. But then everything happened so quickly…Cassian was just about to attack it again when it lashed out with his club and hit Vanden at the back of his head. Cassian can still hear the crack of the bone under the impact and whenever he dares to close his eyes he can see Vanden, his Vanden go down with fading eyes. Vanden does not get up again. Fuelled by their grief and rage the rest of the party, with Cassian in the lead, finally manage to kill the troll. Cassian rushes forward as soon as the troll is down and kneels next to Vanden, begging him to wake up, to not leave him alone, but it is too late. Vanden can’t hear him anymore. Cassian is startled out of this memory by a soft hand on his shoulder and a quiet voice calling his name. He shakes his head softly and focuses his eyes on Sariel standing beside him. “Do you want to eat with us? Boblem made breakfast for everyone.” She asks softly, looking up at him. He hesitates for a moment before nodding and following her. He has to eat something and maybe being around the others keeps this memory from replaying in his head all the time. Finding that it does help a bit, he busies himself for the rest of the day.

That night he lays in bed, eyes wide open and contemplating if he should even try. He does not need to sleep after all. In the end, he turns on his side and slowly closes his eyes. He would try one last time, he wasn’t one to give up so quickly. If that dream returned, he would just avoid sleep from then on. While his consciousness slowly slips away and he enters the dreamland his last thought goes to Vanden and how much he misses him. When he opens his eyes, he is at a beach looking out into the ocean. He can feel a presence behind him, a presence he knows all too well. He doesn’t dare turn around in case Vanden would vanish if he moved. “I knew you would come here eventually,” Vanden says behind him and steps up next to him, so Cassian can see him. “I’ve been watching you this last week. It’s been rough on you.” He looks over, locking eyes with Cassian, who can barely hold his tears back at this point. “Where are we, Vanden? Why did you leave me alone?” The questions leave his lips before he can stop them, a sob breaking loose too. Vanden smiles sadly. “I had no choice, my love. We are wherever you want us to be…this is your dream.” He sits down, pulling Cassian down with him. “We don’t have much time. I promised you I would always be with you and while I can’t stay with you during the day, I will be waiting here at night.” Cassian looks over in disbelief. “How…?” He can’t even form a full sentence, yet this one word manages to convey everything he tries to say. How can you do this? How can I go on during the day without you? How is this going to work? Vanden just smiles at him. “You have the others beside you and they will need you. You all have to stick together and finish what we all started. Melora allows me to visit you in your dreams for as long as you need me.” Cassian stays silent at that for a while, taking in everything Vanden just said. At last, he whispers “I will always need you…You are my world…” His vision goes dark again and the last thing he sees is Vanden’s smiling face. He doesn’t question the tears on his cheeks when he wakes up. His heart is lighter now because he knows that his prince is still with him, no matter what happens. He brushes his tears away and gets up. He has a purpose again now, they had to finish this mission. Looking in a mirror, he gets his henna and starts to trace the lines again for the first time since the fight. When he comes out to face the others, they are surprised to see him looking more like the old Cassian. He gets the map and takes charge of the mission, focusing all his attention on their goal during the day and cherishing the quiet moments with Vanden at night. Most nights they just sit by the beach or any other place Cassian’s subconscious mind comes up with and holding each other. Sometimes they talk about what is going on in Cassian’s life but mostly they just enjoy each other's company.

The night after the party finishes the mission Cassian has difficulties falling asleep. He is worried, now that his task is done that Vanden would disappear because he might not need him anymore. When he finally does enter dreamland Vanden is there waiting impatiently. “You worry too much, my love.” He chides him tenderly. Cassian just looks at him wordlessly for a moment, relieved to hear that. He knows what Vanden doesn’t say, that he can feel how much Cassian still needs him and that he will stay with him. “You will not just disappear on me? You will at least say good-bye?” He asks, at last, needing to know what to expect. Vanden nods calmly. “Yes I will say my good-byes when it comes to that but that is far into the future.” Cassian sighs relieved at that and they find a nice spot to spend the night. It is one of those nights again when Cassian just wants to be held by Vanden to reassure himself that he is still there with him.

Cassian soon finds himself back in Mirrortail and back in his business as a tailor. He spends his days working on different commissions and settles down for a quiet life. His nights are still spent in dreamland with Vanden and he seems to have a very happy life. It goes on like this for years, one friend after the other slipping away until only he and Sariel remain. He knows Vanden will soon say his good-bye and he is not sure yet if he’ll be ready for that. And then it’s the night he has dreaded for so long. Vanden looks different when they meet this time, somehow just a tiny bit less solid. He smiles at Cassian sadly and wordlessly sits down with him. It takes Cassian a moment to take it all in but then he slowly finds peace in his mind. He is ready to let go of his dreams after all these years. “This is it then…Our last night together.” He says quietly, evenly. Vanden nods at that, his arms snaked around Cassian. “You have come a long way and I am proud of you, my love.” They sit quietly together all night, no more words of good-bye needed. And when Cassian wakes up the next morning he is still at ease with the thought of not seeing Vanden in his dreams anymore. They may not have talked about it but he knows he will see Vanden one more time.

It is only a few more years until their final meeting. Cassian has retired by now and retreated to the one place he visited with Vanden in his dreams the most, the beach by the sea. When he goes to sleep that night, he knows he will find Vanden waiting for him. He can feel it is his time to go now. As he enters dreamland, Vanden is standing there just like Cassian remembers him. They both smile at each other and Cassian steps forward, pulling Vanden into a tight embrace. “About time, you came. You left me waiting long enough, my love.” Vanden whispers and they share a gentle kiss before leaving dreamland together at last to spend the rest of their afterlife together.


End file.
